The present disclosure relates to devices for controlling vehicle airflow and, more particularly, to devices for controlling vehicle airflow which can be adjusted through changes in active materials in response to varying conditions, the adjustment being affected through shape, dimension, and/or stiffness changes in the active material.
Airflow over, under, around, and/or through a vehicle can affect many aspects of vehicle performance including vehicle drag, vehicle lift and down force, and cooling/heat exchange for a vehicle powertrain and air conditioning systems. Reductions in vehicle drag improve fuel economy. Vehicle lift and downforce can affect vehicle stability and handling. As used herein, the term “airflow” refers to the motion of air around and through parts of a vehicle relative to either the exterior surface of the vehicle or surfaces of elements of the vehicle along which exterior airflow can be directed such as surfaces in the engine compartment. The term “drag” refers to the resistance caused by friction in a direction opposite that of the motion of the center of gravity for a moving body in a fluid. The term “lift” as used herein refers to the component of the total force due to airflow relative to a vehicle acting on the vehicle in a vertically upward direction. The term “downforce” used herein refers to the component of total force due to airflow relative to the vehicle acting on a vehicle in a vertically downward direction.
Devices known in the art of vehicle manufacture to control airflow relative to a vehicle are generally of a predetermined, non-adjustable geometry, location, orientation and stiffness. Such devices generally do not adapt as driving conditions change, thus the airflow relative to the vehicle cannot be adjusted to better suit the changing driving conditions. Additionally, current under-vehicle airflow control devices can reduce ground clearance. Vehicle designers are faced with the challenge of controlling the airflow while maintaining sufficient ground clearance to avoid contact with and damage by parking ramps, parking blocks, potholes, curbs and the like. Further, inclement weather, such as deep snow slush or rainfall, can damage the device and/or impair vehicle handing.
Current stationary airflow control devices may be adjustable by mounting and/or connecting the devices to hydraulic, mechanical, electrical actuators and/or the like. For example, some vehicle spoilers may adjust location and/or orientation in response to an actuator signal. However, such actuators generally require additional components such as pistons, motors, solenoids and/or like mechanisms for activation, which increase the complexity of the device often resulting in increased failure modes, maintenance, and manufacturing costs. Therefore, there exists a need for an adjustable device for controlling vehicle airflow under varying driving conditions that enhances device simplicity while reducing device problems and the number of failure modes.